BY ALFREDO GARCIA-MARENKO, an associate youth director of the General Conference

mpact Convention Center, Muang Thong Thani, was the venue for the first-ever World Conference on Youth and Community Service organized by the General Conference (GC) Youth Department in Bangkok, Thailand, December 18 to January 3.

The more than 1,300 delegates, from more than 70 countries, invested their Christmas break to work for the Lord in the 10/40 window and get trained and equipped for the completion of the Gospel commission.

Two young ladies, Natalie and Nathalie, a common name meaning "exalt the Nativity of Jesus Christ," met each other in Bangkok. They also went to work as witnesses of God's grace.

"I came to Thailand from Victoria, Australia," said Natalie Thomas, "where I work as elementary teacher to use my hands for the Lord while taking a break of my school environment."

Nathalie Garcia-Marenko, added, "I came to Bangkok from Texas, where I study nursing.I'm so happy I came to support the youth leaders in coordinating the elective seminars of the conference, and to serve the Lord where the witnessing approach is so different."

While reading the seminar handouts on the 1,000 Missionary Movement presented by Kim Yo Han, Nathalie added, "We are doing nothing in comparison to the real sacrifice made by hundreds of young volunteers who go to dangerous and remote areas of the world and give one, two, and even three years of their lives to the Lord and humanity. I like the people of this country and would like to return to do more for them."

The theme of the program, "Many Hands One Mission," galvanized the various activities designed to impact Thailand and the 10/40 window--the geographical area of the world extending from 10 to 40 degrees north of the equator that contains more than 60 nations with an estimated 2 billion unreached people--which was visited for the first time ever by an incredible mission-oriented world delegation of Adventist youth and their leaders.

Two thirds of the world population lives in the 10/40 window, which covers parts of Africa and Asia, the birthplace and stronghold of Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Seventy two workshops were presented by 40 international speakers and leaders. Each presenter shared not only their lectures and handouts in a to each delegate, they conveyed ideas, feelings, vision, books, magazines, guidelines, videos, CDs, DVDs, manuals, handbooks and other resources.

The 17-day convention provided a 11 days for service projects following by the conference, from December 30 to January 3. The 37 service projects organized by Gilbert Cangy, South Pacific Division Youth Director, ended with a reception and banquet hosted by the governor of Bangkok, who thanked the young Adventists for their active participation in the community projects.

Baraka G. Muganda, General Conference Youth Department director, thanked the governor, the Thailand authorities, and the leaders of the host Adventist organizations for their friendship and support of the youth.

The conference began on December 30 with an opening program planned by GC Youth Department staff and Simon Siew, Southeast Union Youth director, with the participation of all host organizations.

During the conference the delegates received many inspirational messages from presenters like Jose V. Rojas, director of the North American Division Adventist Volunteer Ministries Network, and Richard Stenbakken, director of the General Conference Chaplaincy Ministries Department.

The special Sabbath School program was coordinated by Gary B. Swanson, editor of the Collegiate Quarterly. Coordinating the music was Mark Sigue, an assistant in the Adventist Volunteer Center, who, along with his wife, wrote the conference theme song.

The years 2003 and 2004 will long be remembered as important cornerstones of the GC Youth Department=s emphasis on compassion and witnessing. Delegates and leaders coming from 12 of the 13 world divisions and the Seventh-day Adventist world headquarters gathered in Bangkok to celebrate the end of the Year of Compassion and the beginning of the Year of Witnessing through this great youth event.

The support of the world church and the blessings of the Lord were evident in many ways.

New Hospital Opens in Colorado
More than 4,000 people visited the January 25 open house for the new Parker, Colorado, Adventist Hospital. Part of Centura Health, the new facility opened February 3 with 58 beds. The next phase of construction will expand to 101 beds, with a third phase planned to eventually accommodate a total of 200 patients.

The $110 million facility serves more than 175,000 residents of Douglas County in central Colorado, southeast of Denver. All patient rooms are private, with sleeping couches for family members, incorporating technologies that can be adapted to acute or intensive care, if and when necessary.

Parker Adventist is the first hospital in the state to have total wireless Internet capability, with remote access to diagnostic images, tablet PCs for monitoring patients, and hands-free communication among caregivers regardless of location.

The facility includes emergency, cardiac, and diagnostic/imaging services; a birthing center with 19 suites; a women's center featuring OB-GYN and prenatal classes; and an ambulatory surgery center. Its pediatric wing is a separate "hospital within a hospital," operated by Denver Children's Hospital in a unique partnership.

Ken Bacon, formerly president and CEO of Central Texas Medical Center, serves as chief executive officer.

Octogenarians Promote Listen
When George Peterson shared a copy of Listen* magazine with a police officer in 1970, he encouraged Peterson to talk to the local high school about the magazine. Following up on the administrators' interest, Peterson then went to local businesses to find sponsors to cover the cost of subscriptions. It was a turning point in his career.

A World War II veteran and former prisoner of war, Peterson eventually became a Seventh-day Adventist. He entered the literature ministry as a salesman and trained others in literature evangelism. But for the past 33 years this dedicated 89-year-old has placed thousands of copies of Listen into the hands of caring mentors in schools across America-and is still going strong. Since 1987 Peterson has concentrated on the territory around Redlands, California, and feels that his ministry "is particularly geared for the formation of long-term relationships." Teachers and business sponsors appreciate the timeliness of the magazine, which promotes a healthy teen lifestyle. "Many of these folks," he says, "look forward to my coming by and praying with them."

One of his trainees, Clyde Brooks-also over 80 years of age-continues the same ministry in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.

*Produced by the Review and Herald Publishing Association, Listen encourages development of high ideals and good habits of physical, social, and mental health for teens. For more information, call 1-800-548-8700, Ext. 3177.

Maryland Churches Win eChurch Awards
The Emmanuel Brinklow Adventist Church in Ashton, Maryland, recently received the eChurch Award for "Outstanding Web Site of the Year 2003" among Adventist churches in North America. Its webmaster, Don Wood, and his wife are web professionals. "What we have done at [our web site] is a gift of love to the Lord and our church," he says. "We receive no pay-it is a ministry."

The monthly eChurch Award for January 2004 went to the Miracle Temple in Baltimore, Maryland.

Beginning in 2003, the North American Division Office of Communication, PlusLine, and TAGnet has recognized Adventist churches each month for outstanding web sites. Rich Dubose, a member of the selection committee, notes that "the goal is to encourage local churches with websites to give careful thought to their Internet presence and witness." Winners are posted monthly on www.plusline.org/websites/eawards.htm.

Children's Orchestra Makes Friends
The 250-member Bonita Valley, California, Adventist Church, searching for an outreach opportunity, organized a music camp offering free music lessons to children and free seminars for parents, with a free meal included.

"Our goal was to get people to visit our church so that we might plant a seed of kindness and spirituality," says Ingrid Neuharth, outreach coordinator.

After the church pastor, Julio Tabuenca, contacted a member of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, its continuing education director agreed to provide teachers at no cost to the church. Instrument rental stores made violins and cellos available; other local business donated food and door prizes. Classes offered to parents included gardening and home safety, fitness, and child-raising tips.

"We hoped that 80 to 100 children and parents would respond," says Neuharth. But twice that number came-220 in all, about 60 percent from the community. At the close of the eight-week program, the young musicians gave a mini-concert for parents and friends.

Two-thirds of the original 61 children re-registered to continue with future group music lessons. And seminars for parents now focus on more Christ-centered, Bible-based material, such as Jerry Thomas's book Messiah (a paraphrase of The Desire of Ages).

News Notes

A baptismal candidate, one of seven prisoners scheduled for baptism at the Chateau Adventist Church in the Cameroon on January 24, attempted to escape from custody. He was recaptured by a group of Adventist Youth Society members and returned to the prison.

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